In Summary
Do you enjoy working outdoors in a physically active job? Are you interested in all things farming? Would you like to learn the technical skills and knowledge to manage a commercial farming enterprise?
The farm manager will manage a farm business and will be responsible for all farming activities including work organisation, income and expenditure, labour organisation, strategic planning, compliance, safety, health, and welfare management, human resources, and payroll.
The farm manager will lead complex farm business activities, operations, and decisions. The manager will apply key technical concepts and research findings for areas including soil management, grass/crop production, animal & crop nutrition, breeding and reproductive management, and herd and crop health management.
The farm manager will analyse and problem solve for complex farming situations and activities. They will manage farm finances, develop farm goals business goals, review farm enterprises, conduct options and opportunity analysis, and evaluate farm business performance.
The farm manager will develop, manage, and monitor farm systems (e.g. health& safety, produce quality control, food assurance and traceability, environmental management, herd and plant health/bio-security, farm software systems, and farm administration). They will manage farm personnel and lead team outcomes.
Bachelor of Science in Professional Sustainable Farm Management NFQ level 7
To view full details of this occupation, view information from our Careers database for the following occupation: Farm Management
Entry Requirements
To be eligible for this apprenticeship, an applicant must:
Be directly employed by a SOLAS approved Employer
- Farm Technician Apprenticeship qualification (Higher Certificate in Technical Farm Operations – NFQ Level 6*)
or - Level 6 Advanced Certificate in Agriculture (or equivalent) Award*
or - Level 7 Specific Purpose Professional Dairy Diploma in Farm Management*
or - Anyone working in the agricultural sector must be 18 year old or older working in the agricultural sector (2 years full-time) with the relevant experience and equivalent educational experience (NFQ Level 6 or higher*) deemed acceptable by employer and consortium and subject to the validation of supporting evidence and/or assessment process.
*A qualification deemed equivalent on the Irish National Framework of Qualifications to any of the qualifications listed above.
Note – Where there is a mathematics requirement at Leaving Certificate Established or Vocational Programme, obtaining a minimum grade O6/H7 in Maths or a F2 in Foundation Maths, mature and international applicants may be required to demonstrate that they possess the required competency through the completion of a maths assessment.
The programme is through the medium of English and it is highly desirable that the applicant will meet CEF Level B2 (Common European Framework of Reference for Language). Applicants whose first language is not English may be required to provide evidence of English language proficiency.
The certificate of the English language standard must have been issued within 2 years of the expected start of your course.
Training
Bachelor of Science in Professional Sustainable Farm Management NFQ level 7
Off-the-job co-ordination location:
Teagasc, Kildalton College, Piltown, Co. Kilkenny E32 YW08
Knowledge
1. Analyse information and solve problems.
2. Interpret and implement research findings.
3. Understand farm metrics
4. Analyse financial records and determine the costs of production.
5. Generate budgets and manage cash flow.
6. Manage staff and contractors.
7. Devise work routines, delegate tasks, and plan labour efficiencies.
8. Allocate farm resources.
9. Set goals and appraise capital investments.
10. Knowledge of food safety and quality.
11. Comply with safety, health, welfare, and environmental legislation.
12. Knowledge of wider industry, market demands
13. Apply the latest knowledge relating to areas such as animal husbandry, crop husbandry, and soil management.
Skills
1. Develop and implement a health and biosecurity plan.
2. Select and utilise recording systems and financial tools.
3. Plan effective use of farm resources.
4. Interpret key financial farm reports.
5. Access, evaluate and use knowledge and information.
6. Determine farm infrastructure and facility requirements.
7. Negotiate and communicate effectively.
8. Manage farm safety and control hazards.
9. Produce food safely to recognised standards
10. Plan and set goals.
11. Lead, motivate and work in a team.
12. Schedule work and supervise farm staff.
13. Oversee compliance with regulatory requirements.
14. Manage a farm.
Competences
1. Work autonomously and lead a team
2. Set farm and personal goals.
3. Determine key performance indicators for a farm business.
4. Use reports, data and budgets to implement a farm plan
5. Prioritise and set operational farm goals.
6. Plan and implement work programmes and delegate responsibilities.
7. Apply a problem-solving approach to farm operations and farm management.
8. Manage farm traceability, farm assurance processes, sustainability, and environmental compliance.
9. Manage farm safety, health, and welfare.
10. Manage professional development for self and co-workers.
11. Communicate effectively.
12. Lead a team
Skills & Qualities
The ability to relate well to people is as important as an interest in agriculture because you will have overall responsibility for staff. Forward thinking, target driven individuals with good interpersonal skills suit this role.
Farm Managers must be capable of carrying out the normal routine duties on the farm and must be able to interpret market demands and fluctuations. They must have detailed knowledge of farm accounting, farm planning and farm financing.
Do you enjoy working outdoors in a physically active job? Are you interested in all things farming? Would you like to learn the technical skills and knowledge to manage a commercial farming enterprise?
Meet the Minimum entry requirements.
Want a Career in managing a farm.
Have an interest in sustainable, financial and efficiency practices to plan, monitor and implement on a farm.
Have an interest in developing communication, leadership, delegation and management skills.
Want to learn and earn at the same time.
Have a good level of physical fitness and enjoy physical activity and work.
Want to start work early in the mornings.
Love working outdoors and are safety focussed.
Have an interest in agriculture and science.
Have a solid literacy, verbal and numeracy skills.
Have the ability to plan and prepare work.
Have good analytical and problem solving skills.
Have good computer skills.
Have good hand/eye co-ordination, manual dexterity and spatial aptitude.
Have good interpersonal skills.
Have the ability to work independently and as part of a team.
Work Activities
The Farm Manager successfully runs farm enterprises and takes responsibility for all areas of their farming enterprise. They will plan, implement, monitor and complete daily and seasonal operations on the farm. They will be responsible for the induction and training of all staff who work on the farm.
- Change processes such as drying, grading, storing, or shipping to improve efficiency or profitability.
- Determine types or quantities of crops or livestock to be raised, according to factors such as market conditions, federal programs or incentives, or soil conditions.
- Direct crop production operations, such as planning, tilling, planting, fertilising, cultivating, spraying, or harvesting.
- Direct the breeding or raising of stock, such as cattle, poultry, or honeybees, using recognised breeding practices to ensure stock improvement.
- Evaluate marketing or sales alternatives for farm or ranch products.
- Hire, train, or supervise workers engaged in planting, cultivating, irrigating, harvesting, or marketing crops, or in raising livestock.
- Inspect farm or ranch structures, such as buildings, fences, or roads, ordering repair or maintenance activities, as needed.
- Maintain financial, operational, production, or employment records for farms or ranches.
- Monitor activities such as irrigation, chemical application, harvesting, milking, breeding, or grading to ensure adherence to safety regulations or standards.
- Monitor pasture or grasing land use to ensure that livestock are properly fed or that conservation methods, such as rotational grasing, are used.
Career Progression
By the end of your training, you will be able to:
Integrate in-depth knowledge acquired with a practical understanding of farm management principles to independently manage a farm enterprise according to best safe, compliant, sustainable and economic management practices.
Execute and utilise a range of skills (technical, personal, and inter-personal) to independently plan, organise, implement, delegate, monitor and manage farm enterprise operations and to contribute to a work environment.
Demonstrate the ability to work and manage work effectively and safely in a leadership management capacity in areas of health and safety requirements, sustainable and economic farm practices, regulatory compliance, and biosecurity and work organisation mechanisms.
Implement sustainable climate change initiatives in the farming enterprise combined with profitable targets for the farm business.
On completion of this two-year apprenticeship, you will become a fully qualified farm manager, with an NFQ Level 7 Bachelor of Science in Professional Sustainable Farm Management.
You may then choose to work as a Farm Manager on commercial farm enterprises such as the following:
• Arable farming
• Cattle farming
• Pig farming
• Poultry farming
• Sheep farming
• Suckler farming
You may also use the qualification to progress within the sector and/or to higher education programmes.
Springboard courses: conversion options NFQ level 8-9
Post graduate Options NFQ level 9-10
Continuous professional development options
Enterprise supports:
Getting an Apprenticeship
To become an apprentice in Ireland you must be hired by an employer. Apprenticeship employers are formally approved by SOLAS in advance of employing apprentices. Apprentices get a formal contract of employment as part of their apprenticeship.
To find an apprenticeship, you can search apprenticeship vacancies and a list of currently approved apprentice employers on the Apprenticeship Jobs & Employers Portal. You can search for vacancies by location, and employers in each apprenticeship.
Use this link to explore a list of Approved Employers by Region and by Apprenticeship type.
Your local Education and Training Board may hold details of employers seeking to employ an apprentice.
This apprenticeship is managed by Teagasc – Botanic Gardens. If you are interested in a Horticulturist Apprenticeship you should make contact with Teagasc – Botanic Gardens
To find out more about this apprenticeship, check out the following:
Further Information is also available from:
Marcella Phelan
National Apprenticeship Programme Co-ordinator
Teagasc - Curriculum & Development Standards Unit
Tel +35351644508
Email [email protected]
Dr. Emma-Louise Coffey
Programme Co-ordinator
Teagasc – Kildalton College
Tel +3532542706
Email [email protected]
Finding an employer and securing your apprenticeship
Finding an employer or registering your interest with an official Coordinating Provider is one of the first things you need to do to start an apprenticeship.
Opportunities for this apprenticeship may be available from the following organisations:
Online Jobsites
Here are some direct links to employment websites that frequently list apprenticeship vacancies.
Note: These websites may include vacancies that are not QQI accredited Apprenticeships.
Below are the results for an Apprentice from indeed.ie.
Pay & Fees
As an apprentice, you earn while you learn. The employer pays you a salary while you are being trained on-the-job and off-the-job. The rate of pay is agreed between you and your employer- basic pay will be the minimum wage.
Apprentices complete their off-the-job training in Teagasc, for which they are required to pay a student contribution.
This fee has to be confirmed (Pro-rata of Higher Education Student Contribution Rate).
